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Everyone has been asking about the shop progress, so it is time for an update and a few picts. I've been cranky a few times when people have asked about the shop and for that I apologize. However, I do remember apologizing in advance for any bitchiness over the shop construction.
In May, the contractor planned to be done with his portion of the shop in September or October. With all the rain this summer, everything got behind & ground work didn't start til Oct. 14. Then we had to wait for a mason, then a framing crew to get free. The framing crew has been working pretty good the last couple days (surprising considering Deer season started Monday). This was the scene this afternoon after they left for the day.
I walked around in the upstairs (my shop) this afternoon, mentally picturing where all my stuff will go. There will be 2 dormer windows on the front and a set of double doors at the far end (no slats in doors, can't wait to gild all that virgin glass!). Think I won the battle tonight over skylites in the back part of the roof & a big window facing the house. WooHoo!
I still haven't seen garage doors, man door, windows, french doors, siding or shingles show up. With the storm hitting here tomorrow, I doubt there will be any deliveries for me.
There will still be a lot of work for me to do once the construction guys leave. All the wiring will need to be run, plumbing, furnace installed, and walls, floors & ceilings done. The contractor is to put up 2x4 divider walls between the 3 bays, but other than that the interior will be totally open & nekkid. I will be studding any additional walls where I want them and covering those, the divider walls downstairs & the outside walls.
It's been frustrating waiting, but everything felt good today when I was standing between the trusses looking out where my window will be. I have NO idea of a moving-in date, but I'm really looking forward to it. Maybe I can con a few letterheads into slaving, er assisting with the move & helping me de-flower the virgin shop with some strategically placed one-shot spills. Isn't it illegal in some states to have a sign shop without paint splatters on the floor?
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Yer gonna have so much fun decorating and working out of that shop...Actually, I hope you are too busy working in it to find the time to decorate!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
You'll never regret the windows and skylights.
When we remodeled my office and shop last year, we installed two 2' x 4' skylights in the office and two in the shop. We also installed a 3' x 3' and two 4' x 4' garden windows in the office. There is so much natural light in here, I rarely turn the lights on.
As I work, I can watch squirrels play, birds flock to the feeders, hummingbirds and even a Monk Parrot outside. It sure beats the corner I was exiled to before.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5089 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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The sight of your dream finally coming true has got to make you dance mightily... even with the frustrations of building.
I'm sure there will be lots of days where you seem to take a step backwards, but the steps forward hopefully will outnumber them by a bunch!
That shop is looking GOOD!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
if you are wiring it you self be sure to install enough receptacles and a bigger than you need circuit breaker box.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Wow, how cool is THAT! Looks like your dream is coming true. I agree, lots of skylights! It WOULD be an great opportunity to have a letterhead gathering/shop warming. I'll bring the homemade salsa! Oh, and you will have a new painting to hang up there and a Butler CD to add to the design for the sign for the front door! LIFE IS GOOD!
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Nice! I went to school at PSU in State College. The picture of that building on the side of a hill brings back memories. Hills galore, very beautiful. Started my first business (house painting) out there which was still going the last I heard. We were major hippies back then and lived on next to nothing, but enjoyed life and had more fun than humanly possible. My partner bought me out so I could move to Chicago and get a commercial art job. I still have life long friends out there. We painted a house for a lady who was a social worker and had to go deep into the mountains and try to convince some of those folks to send their kids to school. Yikes! I'm glad I got into the sign biz. Some of those folks would just as soon shot you as look at ya. Good luck with this project.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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I wonder what it looks like right now with all the snow covering it.
Hopefully the snow will melt pretty quick and they can get back to closing it in for you.
PS: ask Duckie about the proper paint splatter pattern for the floor. Better yet, invite him to come up and Baptize your shop.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3486 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Following up with what Jimmy said...figure out how many outlets that you think that you will need and the add 50-75% more! Consider putting outlets on the ceiling(s) for drop-down hookups and also get the two-outlets-with a-switch setup to go where all of your light switches will be. The wiring will be or can be run at the same time and those extra outlets sure can be timesavers.
Also, you are probably have considered 220V connections already, but you may want to run an extra line in the shop away from the others in case you want some heavy duty power on the other end of the shop some day.
Good luck with the rest of the construction!
-------------------- Pat Neve, Jr. 321-537-8675 Capt. Sign
posted
Thanks all. I've been spending a lot of time in front of the window the last couple days, feeling Sawatsky-ish.
Grundy, I already have a collection of neat stuff to adorn the showroom. Picts from meets, special panels, sample panels, old signpainting books (1899) and a few hand tools that were my grandpap's. Those will have a special shelf to themselves.
Rick, the far end will have my french doors & I think I want a porch there instead of just stairs, I just haven't had that argument yet.
The entire 2nd floor is mine. Only one of the 3 bays is mine (the bigger middle one!)
I've already had a few arguments over the wiring (my hubby will be doing that). I want outlets everywhere, he doesn't seem to understand I'm tired of tripping over cords. I figure once he puts the outlets in, if it isn't enough, I'll wait til he leaves & call an electrician friend to add some before I cover the walls.
Today my windows & french doors showed up along with some other stuff. I just had to trudge through the snow to go look at all that virgin glass in the french doors.... glass just screaming for gold.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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-------------------- Mario G. Lafreniere (Fergie) J&N Signs Winter did show up! Posts: 1257 | From: Chapleau, Ontario | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
Great to hear you're over the anxiety for now! What an accomplishment. I think it is beautiful right now (but that's the artist in me). I can see it now with "opening" skylight windows and some awesome plants and landscaping, of course, on the whimsical side! I bet you're happy to stretch out! I'm still working out of my bedroom and garage! Maybe one day.... Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kissy!!!
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
When we remodeled about a year ago, we installed quad plugs 3' off the floor about every 4' along the walls. I also hung an overhead cord on a reel in the shop. I'm glad not to be tripping over cords any more.
We also put all of our shop equipment on castors.
We ran Cat 5 cable through the walls for phones & data. We did a double run of cable for each data and phone port, just in case something ever went bad--hey we had a whole box of cable to use up!
I know wireless is the future of networking but the Cat 5 was easy to run while the walls were open.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5089 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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